Press Release - August 02, 2011

Press Release from :

- The Committee of the parents of kidnapped and missing persons in Lebanon

- SOLIDE (Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile)

- CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights)
                                                                                            
Following the information recently reported by the media, revealing the existence of a potential mass grave on lands belonging to the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate in the town of Shabaniyeh (Chouf), and the statement of the authorities declaring that the bones discovered on the site were of animals (goats and dogs), the representatives of the three above-mentioned organizations, accompanied by Lawyer Nizar Saghieh and by the forensic doctor Dr Hussein Shahrour, went to this town in order to form their opinion on this issue.

The delegation was surprised to be firmly denied access to the site by the guard of the Patriarchate, Mr. Maurice El Khel, by the head of municipality Mr. Karim Sarkis, as well as an official of the military intelligence service who phoned one of the delegation’s members to notify him of the ban and asked him to obtain permission from the general prosecutor to be able to visit the site of the potential mass grave. The Internal Security Forces (ISF) also notified the delegation of the ban.

The delegation also gathered the testimonies of several inhabitants of the area, among them some are family members of disappeared persons, and these persons were not convinced by the official version that was expressed without taking into consideration their opinion. The delegation also talked to direct witnesses of the discovery of the cranes and bones found wrapped in Nylon bags – according to witnesses.

The fact that the authorities prevented the delegation to examine the place reinforces our legitimate doubts that the authorities may have deliberately hidden the existence of a mass grave and our certitude that a follow-up is needed to discover what really happened.

These are the reasons why we wish to inform the public opinion of the way the Lebanese authorities and its services are lightly dealing with the issue of the disappeared lightly, hiding the facts and denying the memory of the victims and the right to truth for their relatives.

We call upon the Prime Minister  the government and all the responsible:

1 – To immediately take all necessary measures to protect the Shabaniyeh site in order to prevent any alteration – our organizations warn of any inappropriate handling of the site, which would constitute a criminal offense. 
2 – To reopen the mass grave in a scientific manner and in conformity with the international norms pertaining to exhumation processes, in presence of representatives of parents committees, and to seriously investigate under the Judiciary supervision.
3 – To keep proves and samples removed from the mass grave and transfer them to appropriate places in all regards, including in terms of security.
4 – To focus on the necessity to establish a national commission for the families of the victims of enforced disappearance that would be an official referent in such and similar cases. This commission would be a warrant of credibility.
5 – To invite the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate responsible to respond to our demands in order to facilitate their implementation in conformity with moral and humanitarian principles.